Grampa Smith

Where do I begin?  Grampa is one of the most remarkable men to walk the planet.  I guess that is as good a place to start as any.  I have been blessed to have been born into a family of amazing people-the head of which is Grampa Smith.  When I think of Grampa, I think: hardworking, loving, generous, honest, fun loving...etc.  I could go on and on.  The thing that stands out the most is the amount of memories I have that revolve around him. 

  My childhood memories of summer are at Camp.  My childhood memories of winter are being pulled on a toboggan behind Grampa's snow machine. The best part is that all my memories have come full circle and I get to share them all with my Jake. 

It is an amazing experience to watch Jake make the same memories.  He has grown up spending time at Camp almost every summer.  It is our favorite place to be and we owe all those memories to Grampa.  Not many, almost 12 year old boys, can say they have a relationship with their great grandfather.  We are the lucky ones.

  Since I was little I can hardly remember a time when we suggested doing something and Grampa said no.  From being pulled behind the boat or snow machine one more time, to playing domino's.  He has even gone geo-caching with us!

I remember one time when we were early teenagers that Denise, Tina, and I tried raising Grampa up in the air with just our fingers, doing that so popular 90's game "lite as a feather stiff as a board".  I remember a picture of it but couldn't find it.  How many people can say their Grampa is that cool?

As an adult I remember being in Vermont, after a wedding I think, when we got word that Tina was in the hospital with complications from an eptopic pregnancy.  Mom flew to Utah to be there and help.  I got to spend 2 whole days in the car driving home to North Carolina with Grampa. Just the two of us.  I don't even remember what we talked about, I just remember how Grampa listened to everything I had to say.  Not many people can say they road in a car for 18 hours, with their Grampa and cherish it as a wonderful memory. 

  I can barely walk through a room in my house with out thinking of Grampa.  In the living room our TV is sitting on a piece of furniture Grampa made us. 

On our cocoa table (Jake pointed out when he was little that since we didn't drink coffee it was weird to call it a coffee table...so it has been the cocoa table ever since), I have White Birch Tree candle holders that Grampa made.  In Jake's room is an jewelry box that Grampa made me. Jake loved so much I gave in and let him use it as his treasure box.

  The hope chest he made me won't fit in our small bedroom so it is in the guest room....I could go on and on.  Touches of his talents are all around us and will be for generations to come.  I am on a kick of painting and distressing furniture but a paint brush will not be found touching the pieces Grampa lovingly made me.  They are perfect the way they are.

  Jake and I just finished reading a book called "Little Britches" and the authors father reminded me of Grampa.  He was always fixing things and making them work better than they did before. 

 Everything he said and did made you want to be a better person.  That is the way Grampa is.  There are few people that have walked the earth that you can truely say you want to be a better person because you know them.  Grampa is one of those people.

We are all blessed to have you in our lives Grampa!  Thank you for all the lessons you taught us, without even trying.  Thank you for the memories you are a part of.  Thank you for creating a place that we all want to come home to, no matter how far away we are.
Love,
Carrie



{Mom does is doing a newsletter about Grampa and asked everyone to gather pictures and write something to give to Grampa on the 4th of July since the Smith clan will all be together.  My Grampa just turned 89 last month.  I thought why not post it. :) }